Mounting protection system for a circuit board

Abstract

A system for protecting circuit board mounting devices within an enclosure. The system includes one or more protective housings that are disposed about corresponding openings through a printed circuit board. A flexible clip is attached to the printed circuit board proximate each opening. Each clip includes a retainer portion designed to receive the head of the standoff. The protective housings extend around the retainer portion, and protect the secure mounting of the circuit board to corresponding standoffs.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A protective system for facilitating the mounting of a circuit board within an enclosure, comprising: 
       a housing having a wall disposed to define an opening therein, the opening being sized to receive the head of a standoff, the housing further including a connection portion disposed to extend through a circuit board for securing the housing to the circuit board, wherein the connection portion is disposed to extend through a circuit board opening adapted to receive the head of a standoff, wherein the connection portion includes an extension and a catch design to grip a surface of the circuit board opposite the surface against which the wall abuts.  
     
     
       2. The protection system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed of plastic. 
     
     
       3. The protection system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the wall is a solid wall. 
     
     
       4. The protection system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a supplemental catch. 
     
     
       5. A protection system for facilitating the mounting of a printed circuit board, comprising: 
       a printed circuit board having an opening formed therethrough between a first board surface and a second board surface; and  
       a protective housing disposed on the first board surface, the protective housing having a housing opening generally aligned with the opening and sized to receive the head of a standoff utilized in mounting the printed circuit board, wherein the housing opening extends through the housing to permit viewing of the standoff through the opening and the housing opening.  
     
     
       6. The protection system as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a second protective housing having a second housing opening generally aligned with a second opening formed in the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       7. The protection system as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising a third protective housing having a third housing opening generally aligned with a third opening formed in the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       8. The protection system as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a hook portion by which the protective housing is connected to the printed circuit board. 
     
     
       9. The protection system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the hook portion comprises an extension that extends through the opening and a catch that grips the second board surface. 
     
     
       10. The protection system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the protective housing is plastic. 
     
     
       11. The protection system as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the opening has an expanded region for receiving the head of a standoff therethrough, further wherein the housing opening is generally aligned with the expanded region. 
     
     
       12. The protection system as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a clip attached to the printed circuit board, the clip having a retainer disposed in the housing opening and sized to grip the head of a standoff. 
     
     
       13. The protection system as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising a grounding patch disposed on the printed circuit board adjacent the opening. 
     
     
       14. The protection system as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the opening is generally in the shape of a keyhole. 
     
     
       15. A protection system for facilitating the mounting of a printed circuit board, comprising: 
       a printed circuit board having an opening formed therethrough between a first board surface and a second board surface; and  
       a protective housing disposed on the first board surface, the protective housing having a housing opening generally aligned with the opening and sized to receive the head of a standoff utilized in mounting the printed circuit board, wherein the housing comprises a top disposed over the opening, and the top is generally transparent.  
     
     
       16. A method for protecting the mounting points by which a circuit board is mounted to a wall structure, comprising: 
       forming a plurality of openings in a circuit board;  
       arranging the plurality of openings to correspond to the location of corresponding standoffs;  
       providing a retention clip at each opening to grip the corresponding standoff; and  
       locating a protective housing about each retention clip.  
     
     
       17. The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein locating comprises mounting each protective housing to the circuit board. 
     
     
       18. The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein mounting comprises deploying a hook portion through the circuit board. 
     
     
       19. The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein forming comprises forming a plurality of keyhole shaped openings. 
     
     
       20. The method as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising installing the circuit board on a plurality of corresponding standoffs. 
     
     
       21. The method as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising constructing the protective housing with a wall that rests against a first surface of the circuit board. 
     
     
       22. The method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein constructing comprises arranging the wall to define an internal opening therethrough.